Gibbs gives his insights at SXU

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Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs speaks Thursday, October 20, 2011 at St. Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. | Art Vassy~Sun-Times Media

Updated: November 22, 2011 8:45AM

Robert Gibbs, former press secretary for President Obama, relayed stories from inside the Oval Office, talked about the media and zinged Republican candidates before a large audience Thursday night at St. Xavier University in Chicago.

Gibbs, who left his position in February, spoke to about 800 people at the Shannon Center, 3700 W. 103rd St., as part of a university lecture series.

He recalled that the Obama administration faces several crises when it took over in January 2009 after a grueling campaign. Gibbs said about 50,000 Americans were losing their jobs every month. There were wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, brewing conflicts throughout the world and a failing American auto industry.

“As crazy as it sounds, if all you had to deal with was that list of problems the job would’ve been easier,” Gibbs said.

But new problems kept appearing, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the publication of the Rolling Stone magazine article where a top general made unflattering comments about Obama.

Gibbs told the audience he was nervous when he first took the job but became more comfortable as time went on. And he started noticing patterns among the TV journalists he faced daily.

“All the TV reporters sit in the front row, and if they were going to ask tough questions, they already had their makeup on,” he said.

He also recalled getting a critical postcard early in his tenure as White House press secretary.

“If you lost 40 pounds, you’d be a skinny buffoon,” Gibbs said, drawing laughter. “I’m happy to report the postcard wasn’t from Chicago.”

Gibbs said the changing landscape of the American media presented difficulties for Obama while he was trying to promote health care reform. He said part of Obama’s problem in getting his reform message to the American public was that the major network newscasts draw a much smaller audience than they used to.

“We’ve seen changes in the media that don’t allow presidents to communicate (as easily to a large national audience) as they had in the past,” he said. “You can’t hope to command that type of coverage each and every night.”

Gibbs also needled the press, saying that most coverage of health care reform focused on the politics behind it instead of the legislation. But he said Americans live in an amazing time in which “we have more information available to us now than at any point in history.”

Gibbs also discussed the changing Mideast and the sweeping revolutions that have occurred in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, with former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi dying on Thursday.

“There are lots of people rejoicing in Libya and rightly so,” he said.

Gibbs poked fun at some Republican presidential candidates, including apparent frontrunner Mitt Romney, saying that he was the “safe date to take to prom. You take him as a date and see if you can’t upgrade.”

Regardless of who wins the upcoming election, Gibbs urged the audience to give the newly elected president space to lead.

“There’s nothing that needs fixing in this country that can’t be solved by people living in this country,” he said.